Video: Langford talks about Birmingham media
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Former mayor Langford on Birmingham media
Former mayor Langford on Birmingham mediaPublished: October 28, 2009
Updated: October 29, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.—Former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford had harsh words about the Birmingham media and NBC13HD Wednesday afternoon after he was found guilty on all 60 counts in his federal corruption trial.
Langford faced 60 charges from a federal indictment returned in June 2008 and unsealed 6 months later.
Among the charges were bribery, money laundering, conspiracy, mail and wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Langford now faces a maximum of 804 years in prison. His office of the Mayor of Birmingham is also vacated.
City Council President Carole Smitherman will over as Acting Mayor until a special election is held in early-mid December.
Prosecutors claimed that Langford accepted $235,000 in cash, clothing and jewelry from investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre.
In exchange, prosecutors argued that Langford arranged lucrative bond swap deals for Blount and LaPierre while Langford served as President of the Jefferson County Commission.
Langford pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed the money and clothing were loans and gifts from friends, with no strings attached.
Blount has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery and LaPierre admitted guilt to conspiracy and filing a false tax return.
Reader Reactions
That’s right, Memphisgirl! If you knew my, knew my family, knew my background, you could see that nobody could ever accuse me of being a racist. A court of law found Langford guilty, not because he is black, but because they felt they had enough evidence to do so! I wouldn’t even have commented on this story except that I was defending a man LL attacked on TV for doing his job. Langford’s wife was the one who brought race into the picture.
MarqX proves my point perfectly. I don’t believe anyone on this site has attacked either race in the fashion that MarqX has. We have been discussing Larry Langford and I haven’t seen anyone use racial slurs here EXCEPT for MarqX. Sounds to me like MarqX is the sole racist/coward posting on this site.
Very well said, Chicago1! You are very eloquent…you should start a blog!
BTW, to clear something up—-when I said that it was Langford’s wife that played the race card, I was by no means defending LL himself; I was merely clearing up pictureguy’s confusion. I don’t think LL, his wife, or catfish should have brought race into it. My father committed a crime years ago in his early twenties, was convicted of a felony, served prison time, paid restitution, and now, almost 30 years later, cannot own a firearm or vote in an election. Is this right? Absolutely. He committed a crime. Incidentally, when he was convicted, not one person in our family said that it was because he was white.
Oh yeah Catfish,..this is all because we hate black people that much. Uh huh. Absolutely! What a moron.
Uh, let’s see, a 101 count federal indictment issued. All counts that he was convicted on come up with a total of possibly over 800 years in jail time. Look at it as if one person committed just ONE of each of the crimes Langford committed. Instead, he, committed so many that the total ranked out at 101 which equals a LOT of jail time. Do the math. Justice is justice.
Would you be crying out about it if he were white and we were all happy that the white guy got 800 something years?
You apparently see race. The rest of us see justice.
I was just as happy to see Scrushy locked up, Blount, LaPierre, Katapodis…and I’ll be just as happy when the rest of the JC-Commission goes to jail as well, ALL the different colors of skin.
How about just for once, people see this as what it is: A corrupt man, a criminal, being given his punishment. A criminal having justice served on him for the crimes he committed against THE PEOPLE. Not just the white people or the black people, but THE people. ALL of us. He stole from me, from you…everyone here. THAT is what needs to be focused upon. A crook getting his just desserts at the hands of the law.
He got what he deserved and yes, I AM GLAD to see him go to prison for the rest of his life. That’s why we have laws. To keep people in order. To keep people honest.
If we shirk away from handing out stiff punishment and making examples of those who are caught doing wrong, then what’s the point of even having laws? Makes sense to me. Think about it, Catfish.
Do you really think it is right to give a man 805 years in prison for accepting some suits and shoes? Come on. What is wrong with you people? Are you crazy? Do you really hate black people that much?
I am glad to see justice prevail. That doesn’t always happen. It didn’t matter what color this man is, he’s a flat out criminal and I’m so sick of hearing people whine when they get caught and say it’s all because their black. If he hadn’t committed a crime ( or 60) he wouldn’t be in this position. And for his wife to drag out the race card, oh please! Can you say accomplice? She had to know he was doing criminal acts! How else would he get all that money? She should be convicted too. Blount and Lapierre were convicted some time ago and they’re both white. For him to start blaming the media for his conviction is insane. He should get a spine and admit what he did was wrong.
have to agree about his use of profanity on the on e hand and invoking God on the other…maybe you need to pay a little more attention at those Bible studies,larry. as for the race card..yes ,his wife slapped it down,but larry didn’t seem to oppose it! wonder which flight al and jesse are on? come on! when you are found guilty in a federal court, you can’t be using the state as a whipping boy!all 60 counts!!!is that some kind of record?
I could care less if Larry is innocent or guilty. Thangs like that will always work themselves out.He is saying that his faith in God will carry him through this and talks about not being a hypocrite but during this interview he cusses and in his statement to the Birmingham news before the trial he uses Gods name in vain. Then he says he will be teaching bible study come Monday.He needs to be worrying about his soul. What kind of church allows this type of thing to go on?
pictureguy,
The person who played the race card was Langford’s WIFE!
I apologize for the typos in my previous post, I was too angry to proof-read! Also, sorry for mis-spelling Jon’s name…I found it both ways online.
Give it up LL. You got caught with your hands elbow deep in the cookie jar. You get caught and all of the sudden everyone ELSE, including the media, is to blame. Suck it up, admit your guilt, and face the consequences like a man. And to the person who said a black man can’t get a fair trial in Alabama, geez get a life. He was found guilty in a FEDERAL COURT in 2 hours with his fellow crooks testifying against him. Move on and get B’ham back on track.
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